North's education department alters name to avoid defeat or the dole

The North's Further Education Minister has escaped both defeat and the dole.

The North's Further Education Minister has escaped both defeat and the dole.

Mr Sean Farren's department is currently called the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment. Its acronym, DHFETE, has led to it being known as DEFEAT.

The Minister had proposed to change his Department's title to the Department of Learning and Employment, until it became apparent that it would become known as DOLE.

Mr Farren entered an amendment to change the new name to Department for Employment and Learning (DEL).

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Setting out reasons why he had decided to change the name, the Minister said: "Its undue length causes practical problems and its acronym DHFETE is somewhat unfortunate".

He said the cost of switching stationery and signage at the Department's headquarters was unlikely to exceed £15,000.

An attempt to rush a Bill aimed at reducing social security fraud through the Assembly failed.

The Minister for Social Development, Mr Maurice Morrow, told the house it was necessary to give the Bill accelerated passage in order to bring the North's legislation in line with Britain.

Mr Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein agreed social security fraud should not go unchallenged but stressed every MLA should have the right to scrutinise the Bill, which proposed giving authorities extra power to obtain additional information on those claiming benefit.

The motion granting the Bill's accelerated passage failed after a number of MLAs objected. It must now make its way through the Assembly by normal channels.